Following its AGM on Tuesday 24 March, the CIPR Public Affairs Group has elected a new committee under Chair Paul Beckford (Account Director at Connect Communications). Having previously served as Membership Secretary to the Committee, Beckford has consistently played an active role in the industry, helping to found the CIPR Public Affairs Group’s Young Professionals Committee and, until recently, sitting on the APPC Management Committee. Beckford replaces outgoing Chair Simon McVicker.
Other newly elected members of the Public Affairs Committee include:
- Vice-Chair: Rachael Clamp MCIPR, Manager, Strategic Marketing & Communications, Northrup Grumman
- Vice-Chair: Vernon Hunte MCIPR, Director, Horseferry Public Affairs
- Secretary: Stuart Holland MCIPR, Public Affairs Manager, Unum
- Treasurer: Sarah McMonagle MCIPR, Head of External Affairs, FMB
- Membership Secretary: Donna Castle MCIPR, Director of Public Affairs & Communications, PAGB
- Committee Member: Simon McVicker FCIPR, Director of Policy and External Affairs, IPSE
- Committee Member: Nusin Ergun MCIPR, Freelance
- Committee Member: Rebecca Yates MCIPR, Stakeholder and Communications Officer, Smart Energy GB
- Committee Member: Mike Blakeney MCIPR, Consultant, Interel
- Committee Member: Dominic Gates MCIPR, Government Relations Adviser, Anglo American
- Committee Member: Helen Walsh MCIPR, Senior Account Manager, ICG
Commenting on his election, Paul Beckford said: “I am delighted to have been elected as the CIPR Public Affairs Group chair and it is an honour to take over from Simon McVicker FCIPR. One of Simon’s great achievements is that the number of Public Affairs professionals doing CPD has soared. I hope to strengthen this commitment to our members' professional development by increasing CIPR’s range of public affairs specific training.
“Establishing the Young Professions Group is another legacy of Simon’s I hope to build on. It is a great way to support our younger members and to engage them in CIPR’s work driving up standards in public affairs. I am fortunate to have had an excellent and vibrant committee elected alongside me and I look forward to working with colleagues in the forthcoming year.”
Outgoing Chair Simon McVicker said: “It has been a great honour to serve my peers and the CIPR over the last three years. I am delighted I have handed over to the next generation of public affairs professionals, an extremely able bunch.
“Our new Chair, Paul, is a man I have watched grow in stature, grow in leadership and grow in confidence. He is the right man to face the new Government, the new Parliament and the challenges that that will bring. He will bridge the generations and I wish him not only my congratulations but the best of luck in leading this Committee and the Industry in the next few years!”